Mexican Newspaper Norte de Ciudad Juarez Shutting Down After Reporter Murdered by Cartel

A Mexican newspaper has announced it will no longer publish after 27 years in existence because of increasing insecurity along the border with the United States.

The director of the newspaper, Norte de Ciudad Juarez, in the state of Chihuahua, announced the plans on Sunday to suspend publication in an editorial, saying the decision was made in part owing to a lack of guarantees for critical journalism.

The announcement by Oscar Cantu comes just weeks after the shooting to death of a journalist who worked for Norte.

Miroslava Breach, 54, wrote about organised crime for Norte and the publication La Jornada. She was shot dead in her car by one or more unknown gunmen.

Her death occurred just days after the killing of the director of the news portal El Politico in the state of Veracruz.

Mexico is ranked 149th in Reporters Without Borders’ list of countries based on press freedom, which is the most dangerous of any country not experiencing war.

The Committee to Protect Journalists has said that at least 38 journalists have been killed since 1992 in Mexico with a motive confirmed to be their work.

While Cantu cited security as the main reason for the newspaper closing down, he also referred to economic reasons.

The “farewell” was also published on the newspaper’s website.

“We have always tried to report with the greatest possible amount of truth, objectivity, honesty and transparence,” it said.